Adam Archuleta
Former NFL safety and CBS Sports analyst Adam Archuleta talked with The Post’s Justin Terranova about the Alliance of American Football’s head start on the XFL, the AAF’s strong Week 1 ratings and Christian Hackenberg’s rough opener.
Q: How does this compare to your experience with the short-lived United Football League?
A: I was at the Pac-12 Network and they asked me to do UFL games on Wednesday nights. We did four games before that league went under. The difference between those two leagues is dramatic. That’s why I was skeptical. Does this have a chance? Can it work? Now, I think it will work because of the way they organized this way from the ground up.
Q: Was it important for the AAF to beat the XFL to the field?
A: Not only being first, but the model and how they want to build this league is important, if not more important. Having a guy like Bill Polian involved is huge, guys who have strong NFL experience because of what they are trying to accomplish. The fact that they want to be complementary league to the NFL is important. … So, they want players to look at this league and say, “If you are going to play any of these leagues, this is the more attractive one.” This is going to be the easiest and best pipeline to the NFL if you stand out.
Q: What did the strong ratings start mean to you?
A: I don’t know what fans want, honestly. I do know they love watching stars, there’s no getting around that. Talking to all the people around this, their goal wasn’t a big ratings spike on Week 1. I don’t think you can trust ratings. Their focus is getting the best coaching, development, quality product on the field and if you do that then ratings and fan interest will come. These guys had 30 days to prepare, so what we saw was as raw as it’s going to get.
Q: How does the talent level compare to college football and the NFL?
A: Just like the NFL and college, it was driven by the timing of the passing game and how well the quarterbacks played. That’s going to be the lifeblood of this league and any league. Across the board, the rosters are more talented than college rosters. They may not have the two or three really big-name stars that go on to play in the NFL, but everybody else has been on an NFL roster, which is a lot more than college football teams can say. Q: What did you make of Hackenberg’s debut with Memphis? A: Christian certainly struggled in that game. I don’t know if Memphis was really dialed in to what’s going to work for them, what their identity is. It was a pretty limited passing attack, as most of Hackenberg’s completions were quick slants. They didn’t really test outside the numbers and he struggled with some decision-making and accuracy. What everybody is looking for is development. A lot of these players are raw and need live action. So, it’s not about where you start, but where you finish.